Special Things 8: Nature's Gift
by Gen Varel
Summary: Jack likes to share special moments with a special person in his life. For some time, this special person was beyond his reach, but now she’s there for him again.


**STARGATE SG-1**

_**Nature's Gift**_

_**# 8 of "Special Things" Series**_

Category: Romance/UST

Spoilers: Threads

Season: End of Eight, after "Threads"

Pairings: Sam and Jack

Rating: PG (Older Kids)

Warnings: Some language

Summary:_ Jack likes to share special moments with a special person in his life. For some time, this special person was beyond his reach, but now she's there for him again._

Author's Note: Just a short piece of fluff.

Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are not my property. I have written this story for the enjoyment of Stargate SG-1 fans all over the world. No copyright infringement is intended and no monetary gain is expected.

Sam had just fallen asleep. Or at least it felt that way. So there was just no way someone would be daring enough to annoyingly poke at her foot, knowing how cranky she got when her few precious hours of sleep were unnecessarily disrupted.

Poke, poke. POKE!

Damn! Someone was definitely taking his life in his hands this morning!

"What!?" she growled from under her sleeping bag.

"Wake up! You gotta see somethin'!"

"Is that an order, Sir?" she asked irritably. Some days she could really kick his delectable ass happily.

"Mmm...nope! But you _will _want to see this," he suggested enticingly.

Crap! Now she was intrigued! The man loved to push her buttons! And the worst part was that he knew where all the buttons were! Knowing General Jack O'Neill as she did, she realized that he would not stop pestering her until he got his way. So she gave up.

Growling, she got out of her cozy sleeping bag and grumpily put her jacket back on. He was grinning at her playfully from the opening of their tent.

"This better be good or I swear to God, Sir…" she threatened dangerously.

"Come on! You'll be glad I woke you! But you've gotta hurry!" he promised, and the childish eagerness on his face almost made her smile at him affectionately. Almost.

"Fine, fine! I'm coming!" she replied patiently, rolling her eyes and crawling toward him as he impatiently waited outside the tent.

Without him saying a word, Sam realized the moment she stepped out exactly what he was talking about. The normally reddish sky of this world was now a bright magenta in the early hours of the approaching dawn. She gasped as she looked up, and a gradual smile of delight took over her formerly petulant features.

But a strong, calloused hand grasping hers and insistently pulling interrupted her enthrallment. "This way, Carter," her general led, walking toward the ridge near which they had camped.

Finally reaching a large boulder close to the edge of a cliff, he took a seat and pulled her to stand before him, making her look away from him and toward the horizon now visible from their vantage point.

And Sam helplessly gasped again.

The ochre red sun of the system was slowly rising over the distant mountains, the huge globe peeking out slowly from its hidden spot and turning the formerly dark purple sky into an outrageous artist's canvas where purples, magentas, reds, pinks and lilacs competed for space, the morning mist adding a surreal feeling to the spectacular view.

"If you ruin the moment with any techno-babble, Carter, so help me God, I will make you write a hundred times on the blackboard: 'I should not lecture my CO on the scientific explanation of nature's gifts.'"

Smiling brightly at him over her shoulder and noticing that he still held her hand in his, she comfortably leaned against him, practically sitting on his lap, and snuggled up contentedly as his arm came up to wrap around her waist. "I wouldn't dream of it, Sir."

His chin now rested on her shoulder as they both enjoyed the unique gift Mother Nature was generously bestowing on them this morning, Sam's thumbs stroking the back of Jack's hands absentmindedly.

"I should bring you along on missions a little more often, Sir," she whispered with a smile, her eyes still riveted on the magnificent sunrise.

"I always knew you'd miss me, Carter," he whispered back, his smug tone not quite hiding the true meaning of his words.

"I did, Sir. I really did," she admitted, one side of her face fully resting against his. He had no idea how much she had truly missed him! She had missed him so much, in fact, that it had made her see the light before it was too late.

Missing him had made her go to his house unannounced and out of the blue, interrupt a barbecue with his secret lover, and make a fool of herself. Missing him had made her finally listen to her dying father and go for what she truly wanted. Missing him had made her break her engagement to another and continue to hope for a day when she could be with him. Missing him had allowed her to have this previously impossible moment of wonder and intimacy with him.

She sighed and nestled closer, making him tighten his arms around her, and she could feel him smiling against her face. She wanted to kiss him, but that would still have to wait. For now, she just privately hoped that Teal'c and Daniel would not be waking up any time soon. She wanted just a few more forbidden, clandestine minutes in her CO's strong arms.

Just a few more blissful minutes.

The End.


End file.
